Your Answer to Blocked Drains and Sewage Systems
When faced with a blocked kitchen sink or toilet, there are several DIY tips and tricks on how to deal with the blockage and keep the internal parts of your pipes running smoothly. However, when dealing with an underground blockage, it’s a whole different plumbing problem that needs to be handled by a professional. Going into the holidays, nobody wants to be bothered with any plumbing issues at home. Fortunately, if you live in the greater Johannesburg and Pretoria areas, Alpha Plumbing is your answer when dealing with blocked drains and plumbing leaks.
Blocked Kitchen and Bathroom Drains
When dealing with a blocked kitchen or bathroom sink, water would drain away at a much slower rate than normal. Commonly, such blockages are caused by mineral build-up within the pipes as a result of different liquids being flushed through the drains. To address a mineral build-up, you can pour hot water down the drain to flush out the internal piping system. If you have galvanized, cast-iron or clay pipes connected to your drains, this method is potentially particularly effective. However, if you are dealing with PVC or plastic pipes, we recommend that you let the water cool off for a bit beforehand. Boiling hot water can cause plastic pipe connections to melt, creating leaks in your system.
More Severe Drain Blockages
Faced with a different scenario, a drain can also become blocked by solid objects as opposed to minerals building up and creating a blockage. When dealing with this particular blockage, no volume of boiled water will aid with the penetration of the blockage or dislodge it. Plungers are usually a viable solution for such a blockage, creating a push-pull force within a sealed vacuum to pry the solids loose and force the blockage to be cleared. Once a solid blockage has been pried loose, the next step is to flush the system to ensure that the solids can exit the system and not cause any other problems further down the line.
Underground Plumbing/Sewage Blockages
If you notice a damp or swamp-like area developing on a specific part of your property, you might be dealing with a leaking or burst underground pipe. Often, such leaks are created by a blocked drain directly underneath the surface, causing a leak that forces water to the surface and creating a damp area in your yard. Jet blasting is a technique that utilises a lance that propels a powerful and high-pressure force of water through an underground piping system. This technique jets loose solid blockages to flush the debris through the system and clear the block. However, if you are dealing with a tree root that blocks the system, jet blasting won’t be very effective. Luckily ,we can help with tree rott blocks as well.
Open Throughout the December Holidays
Alpha Plumbing is open throughout the December holidays and available around the clock to see to your plumbing needs. Our plumbers are IOPSA, ECSA, and PIRB certified to deliver professional solutions regarding blocked drains, water leaks, and repairs. We pride ourselves in more than 30 years of experience as a business, ensuring quality customer service and peace of mind when choosing us. Now, you can enjoy your holidays knowing that when a plumbing emergency pops up, Alpha Plumbing will be there to assist you. For more info on our services, please browse our website for details.
